Extensible car-step and catch therefor.



A. A. HAMMELL & 0. E. BROOKS. EXTENSIBLE CAR STEP AND CATCH THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15, 1912 Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

Gila/"Z08 E. Brooiis.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARBIE A. HAMMELL, OF SHERODSVILLE, AND CHARLES E. BROOKS, OF BOWERSTON,OHIO.

EXTENSIBLE CAR-STEP AND CATCH THEREFOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

Application filed July 15, 1912. Serial No. 709,402.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Annin A. HAMMELL and CHARLES E. BROOKS, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Sherodsville, in the county of Carrolland State of Ohio, and at Bowerston, in the county of Harrison and Stateof Ohio, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Extensible Car-Steps and Catches Therefor, of which the following isa specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in extensible car steps andcatches therefor particularly adapted for use on street cars, railwaycars and the like, but equally adapted to a large number of otherpractical uses as will be apparent from the following description.

The objects of the invention are to generally improve devices of thecharacter mentioned, to provide a simple, strong and durable extensiblecar step which will be easily operated, and to provide mechanism for theoperation of said step, including a catch to hold said step in itsraised position and the whole device adapted for positive and certainaction.

These objects, together with other objects readily apparent to thoseskilled in the art, may be attained by the construction illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, although the invention may be embodied inother forms, the construction illustrated'being chosen by way ofexample.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a car step embodying ourinvention, showing the extensible step in its lower position. Fig. 2 isa perspective view of a car step embodying our invention, showing theextensible step in raised position, and one of the steps broken away tomore fully disclose the construction Fig. 3 is an enlarged inner sideperspective view of the gravitating latch. Fig. 4 is an enlarged outerside elevation of said latch. Fig. 5 is an. enlarged fragmentary viewillustrating one of the slide rods and the gravitating locking dogconnected thereto.

Throughout the several views similar reference numerals indicate similarparts.

More specifically describing the construction disclosed in saiddrawings, the numerals 1 represent the side frames of a car step fixedlyconnected in any suitable manner to the car platform 2 and extendingoutwardly and downwardly therefrom. Fixedly connected at their ends tothe pieces 1 are the lower and middle stationary steps 3 and 4respectively. Said side frame pieces and stationary steps may be of anywell known construction except that said side pieces 1 should preferablybe parallel to each other.

Fixedly connected to the pieces 1 are slide bar keepers 5 slidablyengaging the spaced slide bars 6, one for each side frame piece, saidslide bars adapted for sliding movement substantially in line with thelongitudinal disposition of the pieces 1. At the lower ends of said bars6 broadened step-attaching portions 7 are provided and extending fromone portion 7 to the other and connected to said portions is theextensible step 8. To the rear edges of the steps 3 and 4 slide barkeepers 9 similar to the keepers 5 are provided and a slide bar 10 isslidably mounted in said keepers 9 and connected at its lower end to thestep 8. Upon the bar 10 is mounted a stop collar 11 which may beslidably moved along the bar 10 and may be held in fixed position onsaid bar,as by means of a suitable set screw. The collar 11 should be sopositioned upon the bar 10 that when the step 8 is in its lower positionthe collar 11 will engage the keeper 9 on the step 3, as illustrated inFig. 1, and thus prevent any further downward movement of said step. Itwill thus be understood that the step 8 in so far as its slide barconnection with the stationary portion of the car step is concerned isfree to be slida-bly moved up and down in line with the general inclineddisposition of the fixed steps, said step 8 being capable of being movedupward into position to closely underlie the lower stationary step 3, asshown in Fig. 2, or to be extended until. the stop collar 11 preventsfurther extension, as shown in Fig. 1.

For the purpose of raising, holding in raised position and lowering theextensiblestep, actuating mechanism and a catch comprising a gravitatinglatch and a gravitating dog are provided. To the rear edges of the sideframe pieces 1 are connected the eyes 12 in which is rotatably mountedthe cross-member 18, which member is provided beyond the eyes 12 at eachside with integral downwardly extending arms 14 provided at their endswith the eyes 15. Said crossmember 13 together with the integral arms 14and eyes 15 may be properly called a supporting yoke. Pivotally mountedin the eyes 15 is the cross-member 16 provided at its ends beyond theeyes 15 with the integral or fixedly connected slide bar lifting arms17, one of which arms is provided with a rear wardly extendingprojection 18, to the rear end of which is pivotally connected at 19 theoperating rod 20 which extends substantially vertically through thefloor of the platform 2 and is preferably provided with a head 21extending slightly above the floor and adapted to be pressed downward bythe foot of the operator.

Fixedly connected to the cross-member 16 intermediate the arms 17 is theweight arm 22, which extends rearwa-rdly substantially in the same planewith the arms 17 and projection 18, and on which is slidably mounted acounter-weight 23 preferably provided with a set screw 24 or equivalentmeans for fastening said weight upon the arm 22 in fixed adjustment.

It will be apparent from the description given and especially by aninspection of Fig. 1 of the drawing that by pressing downward with thefoot upon the head 21 the operator will move the projection 18downwardly and the arms 17 upwardly rotating the cross-member 16 in theeyes 15, and throwing the forward ends of the slide bar lifting arms 17upwardly. Said forward ends of said arms are pivotally connected to theslide bars 6 at 25 and it will thus be apparent that the upward movemento-fsaid arms 17 will lift said bars 6 and the step 8 from the positionillustrated in Fig. 1 to the position illustrated in Fig. 2, the arms 14swinging back and forth to an extent sufiicient to permit the points 25to pass the center with reference to the eyes 15. The counter-weight 23should be adjusted, however, so that at all times the step 8 will have atendency to drop by gravity into the extended position, carrying thepoints 25 past the center mentioned.

For the purpose of holding the extensible step in its upward position acatch comprising the gravitating latch 26 and the gravitating dog 27 isprovided. Said gravitating latch comprises an elongated body portion 28provided at its lower end with the head 29 and pivotally connected atits upper end at 30 to the side frame piece 1 as by means of asupporting bracket 31. At its head end said latch is provided with adownwardly disposed latch lifting face 32 curving backwardly andupwardly. Said face terminates in the backwardly and upwardly extendingpoint 33 which is spaced from a similar point 34 extending backwardlyand upwardly above the point 33, said points 33 and 34 providing betweenthem the recessed supporting face 35. Into the recess formed by the face35 and spaced from the points 33 and 34 extends the downwardly disposedpoint 36, for the purpose hereinafter more fully disclosed and from thepoint 34- extends the upwardly disposed forwardly and downwardly curvingface 37 which meets the face 32 at the point 38, which is farthest fromthe pivotal point 30.

Fixedly connected to the slide bar (3 on that side of the step uponwhich the latch 26 is arranged is a bracket 39 to the upper end ofwhich, at 40, is pivoted the gravitating dog 27. Said dog extends fromthe point 40 downwardly and thence outwardly and forwardly, forming amember of angular shape and at a point intermediate its ends said dog isprovided with an out-standing latch pin 41 adapted to engage the variousfaces of the latch 26 as will hereinafter more fully appear. Fixedlyconnected to the bracket 39 are the lower and upper stop pins 42 and 43respectively to limit the pivotal movement of the dog 27 upon itsconnection at 40. By gravity the dog 27 is normally held in the positionillustrated in Fig. 5, resting against the stop pin 42.

Upon the bracket 31 is provided the fixed stop pin 44 adapted to limitthe downward movement of the latch 26 and so positioned as to hold saidlatch in proper elevation so that the latch pin 41 will engage the latchlifting face 32 as the step 8 is raised to the upper position. As thedog 27 moves upwardly with the bar 6, to which it is attached, the saidpin 41 raises the latch 20 against the action of gravity until said pinpasses beyond the point 33, whereupon the latch 26 drops, bringing thepoint 36 into engagement with the pin 41. If the step 8 be then slightlylowered by releasing the pressure of the foot upon the head 21 the pin41 moves into the recessed supporting face 35, whereupon the latch 26will hold the dog 27 from further downward movement, thus retaining thestep 8 in its upper position. Should it then be desired to lower thestep a slight pressure of the foot upon the head 21 will cause the step8 with the bars 6 to move slightly upwardly, causing the pin 41 to moveup upon the upper side of the face and between the points 34- and 36'until said pin 41 has passed beyond the point 34, when the latch 26 willdrop into engagement with the pin 44, bringing the point 34 below thepin 41, whereupon, when the pressure upon the head 21 is released saidpin 41 may ride up over the face 37, the dog 27 pivotally moving uponthe connection at 40, until said pin 41 has moved beyond the point 38,when the dog 27 will again drop by gravity into engagement with the stoppin 42. The step 8 may then be further lowered to its extreme extendedposition, as shown in Fig. 1. The

parts will again be in posit-ion to repeat the raising and latching ofthe step as just above described.

e claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising, in combination with acar platform and a flight of stationary steps connected thereto, anextensible step located beneath the lowermost step of said flight,sliding members connected to said extensible step and to said stationarysteps and adapted to be slidably moved to raise and lower saidextensible step with relation to said lowermost step, supporting armspivot-ally connected at their upper ends to said stationary steps, alifting yoke comprising a cross bar pivotally connected to the lowerends of said supporting arms, step-lifting arms formed integrally withsaid cross bar and having their forward ends connected to said slidingmembers, a counter-weight connected to said cross bar and adapted tosubstantially counter-balance said extensible step, andlifting-arm-actuating means connected to said cross bar and extendingthrough said platform.

2. A device of the character described comprising, in combination with acar platform and a flight of stationary steps connected thereto, anextensible step located beneath the lowermost step of said flight, slidemembers connected to said extensible step and to said stationary stepsand adapted to be slidably moved to raise and lower said extensible stepwith relation to said lowermost step, a supporting yoke formed of across member pivotally connected to said stationary steps and providedat its ends with integral, downwardlyextending arms, a step-lifting yokeformed of a cross bar pivotally connected to the free ends of saiddownwardly extending arms and slidemember-lifting arms formed integrallywith said cross-bar and having their free ends connected to said slidemembers, the cross member of said steplifting yoke provided with arearwardly extending weight arm, a counter-weight connected to said armand adapted to substantiallv counter-balance the weight of saidextensible step, one of said slide-member-lifting arms provided with arearwardly extending projection, an operatingrcd pivotally connected tosaid projection, and extending upwardly through said platform, and acatch for holding said slidemembers in the upper position and adapted toautomatically engage and release said slide-members when the device isactuated by said operating rod.

3. For a device of the character described, in combination with tworelatively movable members a catch therefor comprising a gravitatinglatch connected to one of said members and a 'ravitating dog connectedto the other member, said latch comprising an elongated body portionpivotally connected at one end to said member and provided at the otherend with a head, said head provided with a backward and upwardly curvedlatch lifting face, upper and lower backward directed spaced points, arecessed supporting face intermediate said points and a downward andforwardly disposed point extending intermediate the first men tionedpoints, a dog pivoted at its upper end to said other member and providedwith an outstanding latch pin, said latch pin, when said members aremoved toward each other, adapted to slidingly engage the latch liftingface on the gravitating latch, to pass between said upwardly disposedand downwardly disposed points and to rest in said recessed supportingface, substantially as described.

4. For a device of the character described, in combination with tworelatively movable members a catch comprising a gravitating latchcomprising an elongated body portion pivotally connected at one end tothe first member and provided with a head at its other end, said headend provided with a curved backward and upward extending latch liftingface terminating in a rearwardly directed point, a second rearwardlydirected point located above and spaced from said first mentioned pointand a recessed supporting face between said points, and a forwardlydirected point extending between said rearwardly directed points andforming with said rearwardly directed points and said supporting face aU-shaped channel, and the second relatively movable member provided witha gravitating dog having an outstanding latch pin adapted for engagementwith said faces and points of said latch.

In testimony that we claim the above, We have hereunto subscribed ournames in the presence of two witnesses.

ARBIE A. HAMMELL. CHARLES E. BROOKS. Witnesses:

JoHN H. BISHOP, VViLLIAM H. MILLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

